to look bigger'n we really are."

"It is for you to say when we shall set out," I replied, envying those of
my comrades who stood near at hand to witness the departure, and the words
had hardly more than been spoken before the old man started off at a smart
pace in the direction of the thicket where Lieutenant Wormwood's body had
so lately been found.

As a matter of course we two lads followed, I making every effort to keep
pace with him, lest those who were watching should suspect I was not as
brave as I looked, and in a few moments we had shut out from view the
houses of the settlement.

We were not long in traversing the short distance which led us to the tree
at the foot of which the officer came to his death; it can well be
understood that we did not linger many seconds in that gruesome locality.

Jacob was eager to push on, hoping even against hope that it might be
possible for him to rescue his father. Sergeant Corney had no desire to
delay, lest we find it difficult to follow the trail later in the day, and
there was no reason why I should care to remain in that place where were
such evidences as might soon be found of our own fate.

Thayendanega had apparently given no heed as to whether his movements were
known, for never an effort had been made to cover the trail, and we
followed it as readily as if it had been blazed.

When we had travelled rapidly in silence for two full hours, Sergeant
Corney called a halt, saying as he did so:

"There's no reason why we should push on so fast, an' much need to husband
our strength, for no one can tell how soon we may be forced to take part
in a hand-to-hand scrimmage. We'll have a bite to eat, for I didn't
overload my stomach this mornin', an' be all the better for a
breathin'-spell."

"We didn't come out to spend our time in eatin'," Jacob said, moodily, and
I understood full well what was in his mind. "We can loiter when we have
come up with the savages."

"It ain't in the plan that we shall get too close at their heels,"
Sergeant Corney replied, as he drew from his hunting-bag a generous supply
of corn bread, and laid a good half of it in front of my comrade.

"It may not be in your plan, but it is in mine," Jacob said, sharply,
giving no heed to the food. "We shall be doin' our duty by those we have
left behind if we hug as close to the villains as is possible, while
there's no chance I can serve my father by hangin' back at a coward's
distance."

"An'